Page 1 of Loved By Monsters (Everwood Demons 2)

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Ichewed my cheek as I sat on my bed while Jack turned his hand over and inspected his bandage.

“How interesting,” he murmured as I pulled my legs up against my chest, guilt gnawing at me.

“I’m sorry,” I said yet again, and he just gave me his charming smile as he shook his head.

“Don’t be. Think of how strong it could be against demons,” he said thoughtfully. “You could fight so many creatures now if needed.”

“Would’ve been good if it had activated against the creature Charlie brought here,” I muttered, my chest tightening at how useless I’d been against it. “How’d you kill Charlie anyway? I thought only demonic weapons could kill demons?” I asked as I flicked my gaze to Creeper. He stood by the window with his arms folded, as if he was on guard.

“Our bite is demonic, capable of the same thing,” Creeper growled softly. He was tense, as if he expected Charlie’s creature to return at any minute.

“If we rip out a demon’s throat, they die as if it was a demonic weapon,” Jack added as he flicked his gaze to Creeper.

I knew demonics could die easier than proper demons, as we were part human. Injuries to us, although they tended to heal faster, could still be fatal depending on the wound. That’s what I’d read at least. Whereas with demons, injuries inflicted by standard bullets and weapons were pointless really.

“LikeSupernatural, how the host can be shot a whole heap of times and the vessel dies, but the demon continues wearing the meat-suit. Demonic weapons are like the demon blade or angel blade,” Chumley added as he sat on the end of the bed and gave me a lopsided smile.

“Was Charlie’s vessel alive?” I asked softly as my chest tightened at the thought. Had Creeper killed an innocent person as well? I tried not to shoot him a look, but I failed, and he stiffened visibly despite not glancing my way. The muscles twinged in his arms as his jaw clenched, and I knew I’d made him feel bad with my question.

He was only protecting me.

“No. It was like Xander’s, long since dead,” Bug stated as he played with the elastic band around his wrist, perched on the edge of the bed by Chum.

“I wish I just knew what was going on,” I groaned as I rested my head back against the headboard. “So, they want me dead because I can become powerful. Why am I such a threat though? And what even is my new hellfire?” I asked softly as I sucked my lip between my teeth uncertainly.

My hellhounds exchanged glances, but no one said a word as I sighed. Great.

I glanced at my new phone. Three in the morning. I was still tired as hell, and surprised Miss Sage had even been awake when we’d gone to her for Jack’s injury. Then again, she’d been on the phone investigating this whole Prince of Hell thing, and how a demon had a part angelic creature at his whim.

I was still perplexed by this. Why did the angels want me gone too? For the same reason? Were they teaming up to be rid of me? That was absurd, since angels and demons didn’t mix well. But Charlie’s creature was evidence that there was more going on.

“Why would the angels want me gone too?” I murmured out loud.

Again, silence greeted me from my hellhounds.

“You’re different to the other demonics. Far stronger, although you’re only now touching some of your powers,” Jack finally answered after a few quiet moments.

“Is it because I’m the daughter of a Prince of Hell?” I asked softly as my heart fluttered with unease.

“The daughter of Asmodeus. He is a powerful demon in his own right,” Bug stated thoughtfully as he cocked his head. “So of course you’d be powerful too. I’d guess the angels are just as scared of you as they are of him.”

“Why couldn’t my dad have been a plumber or a mechanic? Why the hell did he have to be a Prince of Hell?” I snapped as I rubbed my temple in frustration. I didn’t want to be hunted. And Dezikiel had suggested that my mother had died protecting me against one of the Princes of Hell. That cut deeper than a knife, and I curled up on my side.

My mother had died for me.

I hated that more than anything.

“How did my mother take down a Prince of Hell anyway?” I asked, my voice only a whisper. That’s what Dezikiel had said, and it bothered me daily. I’d still not gotten any answers from anyone. I hated not knowing these things.

She was human, so how had she been able to stand up to a Prince of Hell?

“Your father gave her access to magic. He gave her the pendant that would summon us, perhaps he gave her other power?” Jack said with a shrug as he stared hard at his bandaged hand.

Right. He’d warded my mother and I to protect us, and given her the pendant. So it made sense that he probably gave her more magic. But dying while using it? Had he planned for that to happen? Had he been willing to force me to live life alone?

Had he not really cared for her at all? Did he even care for me?

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